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Original poster

What did we think of Martin Durkin's documentary last night?

59 replies

hobbgoblin · 12/11/2010 14:55

I'm pig politically ignorant when it comes to Economics so may well have been brainwashed by this programme, so wanted to see what y'all thought...

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smallwhitecat · 12/11/2010 15:49

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Original poster
hobbgoblin · 12/11/2010 15:41

Well the Gaurdian have slagged the programme off already review here but I thought it made many concepts accesible without dumbing down gravely.

It really does make you wonder what the current and several previous Governments have been playing at. Never mind the whole Left/Right/Middle politicial argument, not one single MP seems to be suggesting the sort of radical reform that this documentary appears to make blindingly obvious is necessary!

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smallwhitecat · 12/11/2010 15:38

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catinthehat2 · 12/11/2010 15:34

Have got it to watch this w/e.

Not sure I am looking forward to it Shock

smallwhitecat · 12/11/2010 15:27

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nikki1978 · 12/11/2010 15:26

I thought the programme was bloody genius. But then I am pig ignorant when it comes to politics and the economy so am easily impressed. I think all the people on there (who seemed to be top of their game - ex chancellors and economists etc) all saying the same thing should be an important thing? Surely?

Original poster
hobbgoblin · 12/11/2010 15:22

Sorry, forgot to address your point about why our health service is so poor despite big spending.

My first guesses would be (as touched on in the programme) bureaucracy and overstaffing due to abundance of policy making, lack of streamlining and a history of poor budgeting decisions resulting in a need to firefight..?

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Original poster
hobbgoblin · 12/11/2010 15:16

Thanks for your reply swc.

I have always been a firm believer in taxing the wealthy since a system that taxes proportionately to income always seemed the only fair way of doing things; the Robin Hood ideology as described by Durkin.

Watching this last night turned that completely on its head.

I also hadn't realised that taxation in general reduces the lowest earners' income by over half so that their benefits simply repay what they have earned and then given in tax.

If I ever felt like I wasn't self sufficient as an employed member of society still claiming a few benefits then this revelation knocked that feeling on the head!

When you realise that the more you earn the more you pay in tax which comes back to you minus the additional cost to the country of having someone (or several scores of people) administer this arrangement, thus reducing the overall level of service you receive in areas such as health, policing and education it all seems like a very poor deal.

I still find it hard to think that recovery could be that speedy if tax was reduced to less than 20% for the highest earners and zero for the rest of us. Do you think members of our society still have any sort of work ethic left for this to really succeed in re-igniting people's sense of ambition and pride?

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smallwhitecat · 12/11/2010 14:59

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